Children under 13 could be barred from creating accounts on social media or online gaming platforms without verified parental consent under a proposed private member's bill. The bill also seeks to stop platforms from tracking, profiling, or using personalised ads to target minors.
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Age Verification Systems And Parental Control Dashboards
The Safeguarding Healthy Internet Environments for Little Digital-Natives (SHIELD) Bill, 2025, introduced by BJP MP Baijayant Panda, proposes mandatory age-verification systems for platforms accessible to minors. The bill also proposes parental-control dashboards, enabling guardians to monitor online activity, manage privacy settings, and restrict screen time.
The bill was one of the two private members' bills scheduled to be introduced in Parliament but could not be taken up due to adjournments of the House. The second bill seeks to regulate the misuse of artificial intelligence (AI) to create realistic imitations of individuals. However, private members' bills rarely become law, with only about a dozen having been passed by Parliament since Independence.
SHIELD Bill Proposes Strict Safety Rules And Heavy Fines For Violations
The SHIELD Bill defines a child as anyone under 18 and proposes specific safety obligations for social media platforms, online gaming services, and digital intermediaries.
Under the proposed law, platforms would be barred from tracking, profiling, or targeting children with personalised ads. The bill also requires platforms to take measures to protect them from pornography, gambling, violent content, and drug-related material.
Platforms found violating the proposed law could face fines of up to Rs 10 crore, while repeated or willful violations could lead to temporary suspension or blocking of services under Section 69A of the IT Act.